Sounding play hoop



March 14, 1961 'r. L. FAWlCK 2,974,439

SOUNDING PLAY HOOP Filed Dec. 25, 1958 INVENTOR. THOMAS L. FAWICK BY 5 l4 v, l

'0 1 2b (ML-4( A TORN EY SOUNDING PLAY HOOP Thomas L. Fawick, Statler Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio Filed Dec. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 782,481

12 Claims. (Cl. 46-114) This invention relates to play hoops adapted to produce sound in ,being rotated in relation to a contacting body, such as the body of the operator in the case of a hula hoop or such as a floor or the ground in the case of a rolling hoop.

Its chief objects arev to provide a hoop assembly that will not be dependent upon an extraneous member such as a special rolling stick for producing the sound; to provide an assembly in which production of the sound will not be dependent upon the presence of a hub or a spoke or spokes; to provide an improved assembly in which the sounding device will be positively actuated in timed relation to the rotary speed of the hoop; to provide a sounding sub-assembly adapted to be readily applied to and removed from hoops that are already extensively distributed; and to provide simplicity, economy and durability of structure.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation of an assembly embodying my invention in its preferred form for a rolling hoop.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation, on a larger scale, of the same embodiment, with parts broken away and with parts in section.

Fig; 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the same embodiment, from a viewpoint at the center of the hoop, with parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the sound ing device as applied to a hula hoop.

The assembly shown in Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a hoop having one or more of the sounding devices so applied to it as to be actuated by ground contacts when it is used as a rolling hoop.

Each of the sounding devices comprises a sheet-metal stamping 11, preferably of somewhat springy metal but permanently shaped, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, to provide integrally an axially spaced apart pair of journal ears 11a, 11a and a pair of spring-clip side portions 11b, 11b adapted to be snapped onto and to grip the hoop 10, to hold the journal ears in fixed relation to the hoop, at the inner periphery of the hoop in this embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, this being a rolling hoop assembly.

Journaled in said ears is a wire rock-shaft and rockerarm member 12 which at one side of the assembly has a right-angle bend, at 12a, from which, with clearance from the hoop 10, it projects obliquely, at an angle of about 45 degrees from the great-circle radii of the hoop, to a position a little beyond the outer periphery of the hoop, where it is arched back alongside the hoop to provide a ground-contact arched part 1%, Fig. 2, adapted to be moved relatively toward the rolling-axis of the hoop by rolling contact with the ground, in either direction of rolling travel of the hoop over the ground.

The rock-shaft part of the member 12, between the journal ears 11a, has welded to its a two-armed rockerarm member 13 and a bell-supporting bracket wire 14, the latter extending through a hole in the member 13 2,974,439 Patented Mar. 14, 19 61 and into contact with the member 12. The bracket wire 14 projects toward the center of the hoop and then in the form of a goose-neck 14a, to the terminal part of which is secured a bell 15 having a freely suspended clapper 15a, the shape of the bell-supporting bracket preferably being such that, as shown, the clapper hangs at a central position in the bell when the sounding device is at the bottom of the hoops orbit. For yieldingly urging the two-armed rocker member 13 toward its middle position, in symmetrical and tangential relation to the great-circle radius of the hoop at the middle of the member 13, Fig. 2,- a two-armed, singleleaf spring 16 is formed at its middle with a detent socket 16a, Fig. 2, to fit against the under side of the rock-shaft l2, and is formed at each of its ends with an outwardly bent and notched portion 16b for straddling the inner periphery of the hoop. The spring has such shape that when mounted it is in pre-loaded condition of strain, exerting force at its ends against the hoop and at its middle against the rock-shaft, and at intermediate positions against the outer ends of the arms of the rocker member 13.

The spring 16 preferably is only a little narrower than the space between the journal ears 11a, 11a, so that its interlock with them and with the rock-shaft, and interlock of its ends with the hoop 1G, maintains the position and alignment of the stamping 11 in relation to the hoop. Also the rocker-arm member 13 preferably is only a little narrower than the space between the journal cars, so that they keep it and the bell bracket in alignment with the spring 16.

The structure as described is such that when the hoop is rolled on a supporting surface, in either direction, contact of the surface with the arch portion 12b of the rocker arm causes relative movement of the bracket" 14 and the bell 15 about the axis of the rock-shaft, against the yielding resistance of the spring 1%, the recoil of which then returns the bracket and bell to middle position, these movements being positive and resulting in sounding of the bell. Like effect can be produced by coaction of a simple rolling stick, not shown, with the arched clement 12b, so that the device will sound not only as it passes the bottom of its orbit but also as it passes the roiling stick. A plurality of the devices can be applied to the same hoop, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, for use with the hoop in approximately horizontal position as a hula hoop, the sounding assembly is mounted on the outer periphery of the hoop, so that the body of the operator will contact and actuate the arch element 12b of the rocker-arm member 12; and the bell 15 is so positioned on its bracket 14m, as shown in Fig. 5, that when the horizontally positioned hoop is at rest the clapper will hang centrally in the bell.

The structure as defined provides the advantages that are set out on the above statement of objects and further modifications are possible without sacrifice of all of those advantages and with departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A play hoop assembly comprising a permanently shaped hoop having outside and inside peripheries and adapted for rotation with one of said peripheries engaging a support, and, mounted on said hoop, a sounding device and actuating means therefor, said actuating means comprising a contact member normally projecting beyond said periphery of the hoop and movable in relation thereto by engagement with said support in the rotation of the hoop.

2. For use in combination with a permanently shaped hoop having inside and outside peripheries and adapted for rotation with one of said peripheries engaging a support, a sub-assembly comprising a sounding device, actuating means therefor, and means for mounting said sounding device and said actuating means upon a hoop, said actuating means comprising a pivoted member constructed and arranged to project obliquely past said one periphery of the hoop and movable in relation thereto by engagement with said support during the rotation of the hoop in relation to said support.

3. A sub-assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for mounting the sounding device and its actuating means upon the hoop comprises a mounting for them and means adapted to grip the hoop locally for securing said mounting to the hoop.

4. -A sounding attachment for a hoop to be rotated with a peripheral surface of the hoop in contact with a support, said attachment comprising a rock-shaft, a contact rocker-arm projecting laterally from said rock-shaft, mounting means shaped and dimensioned to engage the hoop directly and having provision for journaling said rock-shaft upon the hoop in parallel relation to the rolling axis of the hoop, a sound-producing arm projecting laterally from said rock-shaft at the opposite side thereof from said contact rocker-arm, and resilient biasing means for constantly urging said rock-shaft toward a predetermined rotative position in which said contact rocker-arm projects beyond said peripheral surface of the hoop for engagement with the support during the rotation of the hoop.

5. An attachment as defined in claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises a pair of rocker-arms projecting in different directions from said rock-shaft and rigid therewith, and spring means contacting the rocker-arms of said pair and positioned for engagement between said rockerarms and the hoop when said mounting means engages the hoop directly.

6. An attachment as defined in claim 5 wherein said spring means comprises a leaf spring extending on opposite sides of said rock-shaft.

7. An attachment as defined in claim 6 wherein said leaf spring is forked at each of its ends for straddling the hoop.

8. A sounding attachment for a hoop to be rotated in contact with a support, said attachment comprising a Cit sounding device, actuating means therefor, and means for mounting said sounding device and said actuating means upon a hoop, said actuating means comprising a contact member adapted to project past a periphery of the hoop and movable in relation thereto by contact with said support in the rotation of the hoop, said mounting means comprising means shaped and dimensioned to locally grip the hoop in direct engagement therewith.

9. A play hoop assembly comprising a permanently shaped hoop having outside and inside peripheries and adapted for rotation with one of said peripheries engaging a support, and a sounding attachment for said hoop, said sounding attachment comprising mounting means releasably attached to the hoop in direct engagement therewith, a rock-shaft journaled on said mounting means and extending parallel to the rolling axis of the hoop, a contact rocker-arm coupled to said rock-shaft and projecting laterally therefrom, a sound producing arm coupled to said rock-shaft to be turned thereby and projecting laterally from said rock-shaft at the opposite side thereof from said contact rocker-arm, and means resiliently biasing said rock-shaft to a rotative position in which said contact rocker-arm extends beyond said periphery of the hoop for engagement with the support in the rotation of the hoop.

10. The play hoop assembly of claim 9 wherein said biasing means comprises a pair of rocker-arms projecting from opposite sides of said rock-shaft and connected thereto, and spring means engaged between said rockerarms and the hoop.

11. The play hoop assembly of claim 10 wherein said spring means comprises a leaf spring extending on the opposite sides of the rock-shaft.

12. The play hoop assembly of claim ll wherein said leaf spring at each of its ends is formed with a forkshaped portion which straddles the hoop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 507,851 Shetter Oct. 31, 1893 1,447,595 Martin Mar. 6, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 611,719 Germany Apr. 3, 1935 

